Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Folks at the Chinese military forums are having issues with the new PLA infantry gear -- they look too GLA (Global Liberation Army) like. In protest, they put their Photoshop skills to good use. In their view, if they are looking like the GLA, they might start acting like the GLA i.e. leaving their old non-intervention stand behind. A change that is not welcomed.

Here is the PS-ed US DOD style photo. I have to admit, the "price of freedom" slogan is a nice torch.

A newbie entering an online military forum may be baffled by jargon including references to the "GLA" launching warships like "dumplings into boiling water."

But seasoned browsers know that GLA stands for "Global Liberation Army," a sarcastic nickname for the US military, while the dumplings refer to its mass production of naval vessels.

Initially invented as a precaution against the leaking of military secrets, such slang terms are now being popularized by military enthusiasts, Pei Shen, a senior editor at the military channel of the huanqiu.com website, said.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

This new Chinese TEL chassis looks remarkably similar to the 9K331 Tor M1 -- The Chinese edition sports a rectangular headlight, where as the Russian Tor M1 is illuminated by the classic round.

In 1999 the PLA ground force armed its Air Defense Brigade, 31st Group Army, Nanjing MR with 35 sets of imported Tor M1 Air Defense systems. However, the follow-up negotiation for a co-produced variant yielded no fruit. The PLA reportedly has a requirement for 160 additional systems.

It is easy to start speculating with this set of photos but it is not warranted without any additional evidence.

Notice the rectangular headlight and new rubbered road wheels.

7 roadwheels

The rounded headlight of the Tor M1 currently in service with 31st Group Army's AD Brigade.

• Could Lead to Development of More Than 1,000 Distributed Energy CHP Plants in China

• Supports GE’s U.S.-China Strategy to Spur Growth in Both Countries

SHANGHAI, CHINA—August 23, 2011—GE (NYSE: GE) and China Huadian Corporation today announced a joint venture to develop distributed energy combined heat and power (DECHP) projects that will provide electricity for consumers in China located close to the plants. GE is a leader in DECHP and other innovative energy solutions. Today’s announcement will help ensure continued U.S. energy leadership by expanding markets for American technology and services.

The $100 million joint venture company will be called Huadian GE Aero Gas Turbine Equipment Co., Ltd, with China Huadian owning the majority share. It will create opportunities for growth and further investment in GE aeroderivative gas turbines and services, accelerating growth in China while expanding capacity and capabilities.

“The joint venture agreement is another example of GE’s continued commitment to global relationships to meet the energy needs of today and tomorrow,” said Darryl Wilson, president and CEO—aeroderivative gas turbines for GE Power & Water. “The goal of this joint venture is to support the people of China by helping the country meet its need for more than 1,000 distributed energy combined heat and power plants in the next 10 years, while also supporting the U.S. energy technology industry. The joint venture is part of GE’s larger U.S.-China strategic relationship that will be a powerful spur to economic growth in both countries, enhance market confidence and encourage the rest of the world to follow in next generation of energy deployment.”

GE’s aeroderivative business, headquartered in Houston, Texas, brings power to hard-to-reach places by modifying highly reliable GE aviation engines to burn natural gas or biofuels to create energy. These power generation units range from 18-100 megawatts and represent the future of efficient and cleaner power generation. The highly flexible jet engine-based technology helps energy companies take advantage of the growing trend to use abundant, cleaner-burning natural gas for power generation.

DECHP technologies produce both electricity and useful thermal energy from a single fuel at a facility located near the consumers. These efficient systems recover heat that normally would be wasted in the power generation process—saving fuel that would otherwise be used to produce additional heat or steam in a separate unit.

Dozens of American suppliers from locations including Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio, Fort Collins, Colo., Portland, Ore., and Houston and Lufkin, Texas, will support the projects in China.

Today’s joint venture announcement between China Huadian Corporation and GE is part of a larger-scale commitment GE has made to China. Most recently:

• On November 9, 2010, GE announced plans to invest more than $2 billion into its efforts in China through 2012 to help tackle the country’s pressing energy and infrastructure needs. GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt announced that the company plans to commit $500 million to enhance China R&D capabilities and establish new Customer Innovation Centers to better serve west, north, central and south China.

• On that same day, as part of the $2 billion investment, GE and State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), China’s top power distributor and one of the world’s largest utilities, announced plans for several joint ventures to address China’s growing energy needs and to electrify its vast transportation infrastructure. These joint ventures will play a vital role in supporting the country’s energy demand through the development of a smarter grid that will help achieve environmental and economic goals.

• On January 5, 2011, GE announced that it had signed a contract with Jiangsu Tianue Energy & Chemical Group Co. Ltd, which is building a high-efficiency gas turbine power plant to utilize industrial dismissed gas into power and steam to meet increasing energy needs in the region. The power plant will be equipped with three aeroderivative gas turbines, which are the first LM2500+G4 units sold in China. GE’s aeroderivative gas turbines will use coke oven gas as fuel and turn it into electricity for the region.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) is an advanced technology, services and finance company taking on the world’s toughest challenges. Dedicated to innovation in energy, health, transportation and infrastructure, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com.

GE also serves the energy sector by providing technology and service solutions that are based on a commitment to quality and innovation. The company continues to invest in new technology solutions and grow through strategic acquisitions to strengthen its local presence and better serve customers around the world. The businesses that comprise GE Energy—GE Power & Water, GE Energy Services and GE Oil & Gas—work together with more than 90,000 global employees and 2010 revenues of $38 billion, to provide integrated product and service solutions in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; as well as other alternative fuels and new grid modernization technologies to meet 21st century energy needs.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

While announcing two new air demonstration teams to the public, the PLAAF is placing its domestic J-11B heavy fighter on display for the first time (1st Fighter Regiment, 1st Air Division). This stunt should put doubts about J-11B’s operational status to rest.

Notice the PL-8 AAM

Two PLA Air Force air demonstration teams established

(Source: PLA Daily) 2011-08-26

Team badge of the Sky Wing Air Demonstration Team of the PLA Air Force (Yuan Jian/PLA Daily)

The reporters learned from a press conference on the first collective appearance of three air demonstration teams of the Air Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) held on the morning of August 25 that the newly established air demonstration teams of the PLA Air Force, i.e., the Sky Wing Air Demonstration Team and the Red Eagle Air Demonstration Team will stage a joint performance at the Changchun First Aviation Open Day September 1, 2011 in northeast China’s Jilin Province with the August 1st Aerobatics Team established nearly 50 years ago. With the two newly established air demonstration teams, three flying demonstration forces with the August 1st Aerobatics Team as the main body of the PLA Air Force came into being.

The Sky Wing Air Demonstration Team is from the Aviation University of the PLA Air Force, which is the alma mater of “Space Hero” Yang Liwei, while the Red Eagle Air Demonstration Team is from the Third Flight Academy of the PLA Air Force, which is the alma mater of “Space Hero” Zhai Zhigang, and also where China's first batch of women fighter pilots are trained.

Zhao Jingbo, deputy director of the Military Training Department of the PLA Air Force Headquarters, said, “The two newly established academy-based air demonstration teams aims at constructing an international exchange platform for the promotion of open-minded contacts and cooperation in military education, so as to adapt to the changing world.”

The Sky Wing Air Demonstration Team of the PLA Air Force has 16 pilots, all of whom flying instructors with over 2000 hours flying time.

Among the 18 members of the Red Eagle Air Demonstration Team of the PLA Air Force, three are special-class pilots and 15 first-class pilots.

The flying time of the members of the August 1st Aerobatics Team of the PLA Air Force is over 1,000 hours and that of J-10 fighter pilots more than 300 hours.

The demonstration planes used in the three air demonstration teams are all independently developed and constructed in China. The demonstration planes of the Sky Wing Air Demonstration of the PLA Air Force are primary trainer-6 jet trainers, while that of the Red Eagle are advanced trainer-8 jet trainers.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Members of the media attending the conference received the report, a comic book version of the report, an 8-inch action figure (a Taiwan Navy officer peering through binoculars) and a 2-inch bobblehead doll of a smiling MND officer.

Here is the link to the ROC national defense report in comic form. (here)

Taiwan Report Ambiguous On Chinese Threat

By WENDELL MINNICK

Published: 23 Aug 2011 12:12http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=7458649&c=ASI&s=SEA
TAIPEI - Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) released the English-language version of its biennial 11th National Defense Report during an Aug. 22 press conference.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense on Aug. 22 released a comic-book version of its latest white paper, along with an 8-inch action figure and a bobblehead doll. (Taiwan Ministry of National Defense)

Like past National Defense reports, ambiguous terms are used to describe China's military threat. China is deploying "various ballistic and cruise missiles." China is developing "anti-access/area denial" capabilities. The Second Artillery Corps "has some capability of attacking aircraft carriers." According to "foreign and domestic think tanks," the Chinese Navy will deploy aircraft carriers by 2020. "Asia-Pacific countries remain suspicious" of China's military modernization efforts.

The report is remarkably weak in comparison with the Pentagon's controversial annual Report on China's Military Modernization, expected to be released this week. The MND report fails to mention that China has about 1,500 short-range ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan. Though Taiwan is working harder not to offend China since Ma Ying-jeou won the Taiwan presidency in 2008, past reports have always been light on details and nonconfrontational.

The report acknowledges that cross-strait ties have improved since 2008, and the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement in June 2010 further enhanced peaceful co-existence, though "its long-term effects on our participation in regional economic integration will require further evaluation."

From a military perspective, China's threat to Taiwan remains "unabated," though the report fails to be explicit.

Of interest, the report does indicate that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has added the People's Armed Police (PAP) to "its array of forces for operations against Taiwan."

The PAP is a paramilitary police force known for its brutality in the autonomous regions of Tibet and Xinjiang Uyghur. The MND report fails to mention PAP's history of thuggery, or what Taiwan's citizenry might expect from PAP forces if they were to occupy the island.

Local defense analysts said they expect widespread systematic rape and pillaging during an invasion in an effort to subjugate the island's residents.

The report outlines the various campaigns PLA could wage against Taiwan, beginning with the likely use of military intimidation, a partial blockade, "firepower strikes" and, finally, invasion.

Military intimidation strategies would include intensifying military activities, adjusting deployment, and using the media to publicize military risks in the Taiwan Strait with the objective of causing a panic in Taiwan.

The PLA also may use its Air Force and Navy to set up partial blockades against Taiwan's key ports and harass the outer islands, which would "weaken the morale of our military and civilians, sever our economic lifeline, deteriorate our living environment, and force us to seek peace agreements."

The PLA's Second Artillery Corps also could launch missiles to destroy command-and-control hubs, political and economic centers and symbolic targets. The attacks would begin slowly and escalate to cripple Taiwan's air defense, sea control and counterstrike systems, "thus shattering our will to fight, forcing us to surrender, or creating a foundation for subsequent strategic operations."

China also might use a "Triphibian Invasion" with the following sequence: preliminary engagement, electromagnetic control operations, air superiority operations, sea control operations and landing. China will "aim for a short battle and a quick victory before foreign forces [the U.S. military] can intervene, thus establishing a political reality that will prevent further intervention."

The report concludes that a Normandy-style invasion of Taiwan is not a likely option. China lacks the amphibious transport craft needed to successfully invade Taiwan. No mention is made in the report of past concerns about a decapitation strategy using special operations forces and fifth column elements to take the capital city of Taipei first.

None of these scenarios are new.

The report makes little mention of Taiwan's dependence on U.S. military support in the event of a war. Taiwan's request for new F-16C/D fighter jets is only mentioned once in the report.

Due to Chinese pressure, the U.S. has delayed the release of F-16C/Ds and submarines since 2006 and 2001, respectively. The U.S. State Department has indicated that a decision on the F-16C/Ds would be made by Oct. 1, which is China's National Day.

The report redefines the word "victory" in terms of fighting a war with China. "Considering the military strength of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, we must use a practical attitude to reconsider the definition of 'victory' if we are to achieve 'resolute defense and credible deterrence.'"

Therefore, the report says the definition of "victory" has been readjusted from "defeating the enemy in a full confrontation" to "striking the enemy halfway across the Taiwan Strait and preventing the enemy from landing and establishing lodgment."

The meaning of "victory" is redefined because "the force structure of the Armed Forces was planned with a focus on gaining a relative advantage in this critical period of war."

The result will allow for a "small and superb, strong and smart" force to achieve "resolute defense," but also avoid engaging in an "armaments race" with China, which might influence Taiwan's overall competitiveness.